


Only halfways

by SecondStarOnTheLeft



Series: 2016 Christmas Fics [11]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 06:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8963734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecondStarOnTheLeft/pseuds/SecondStarOnTheLeft
Summary: Myrcella thinks that Shireen's namedays are unfairly overlooked, and seeks to change it.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tywinning](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tywinning/gifts).



> For [Daria,](http://sabotensan.tumblr.com) via me, from [Lauren.](http://joannalannister.tumblr.com)

Myrcella crept into Shireen’s bedchamber just as the sun rose, a parcel tucked under her arm.

Shireen’s name days were never made a fuss of, not as Myrcella’s or her brothers’ were, and so Myrcella had decided that Shireen ought to be spoiled as a princess.

Myrcella sometimes wondered why Shireen was  _ not  _ a princess - her papa was brother to the King, and King’s brothers were always princes, so far as Myrcella could see from her studies. Perhaps Myrcella’s papa had wanted all the crowns for himself, and could not spare one for either of his brothers.

“Shireen,” she whispered, clambering up onto Shireen’s high bed and settling herself by her cousin’s hand. “Shireen, wake up.”

Shireen blinked awake slowly, her beautiful eyes catching the slow sunlight like lapis, and Myrcella pushed herself to her knees.

“It is your name day!” she crowed, still in a whisper, for fear of waking Shireen’s parents. “I have a gift for you!”

Shireen rubbed her eyes clear, and sat up to smile properly.

“You did not need to do that,” she said, shy as she always was, and Myrcella wished people weren’t so cruel about Shireen. Her scars were not so ugly, not really, and if Lady Selyse would let Shireen wear her hair differently then her ears wouldn’t seem to stick out so much. “I did not get you a gift for  _ your  _ name day, after all.”

“I have more coin than you,” Myrcella pointed out matter-of-factly, folding Shireen’s hands around the parcel. “And besides, it’s only a little gift, and you must take it for it won’t suit anyone else at all.”

Shireen kissed Myrcella’s cheek without even looking at the gift, and smiled again.  _ Why,  _ Myrcella thought,  _ her scars are hardly noticeable when she smiles like that! _

“You are too kind, cousin,” Shireen said, turning finally to her gift.It was wrapped in pretty pink satin, stolen from Myrcella’s lady mother’s sewing basket, and tied with a gold ribbon. “I am not worth such consideration.”

Myrcella pressed her hands over her mouth in excitement as Shireen tugged open the ribbon and unfolded the satin, and bit down on a squeal when Shireen finally exposed her gift.

“Oh,  _ Myrcella!” _ Shireen gasped, throwing aside the satin to hold up her gift - a long chain of very fine gold links, and on the end, a pendant shaped like a teardrop, set with a sapphire almost as lovely as Shireen’s eyes. “Oh, Myrcella, it’s so beautiful, I can’t possibly wear it!”

“I cannot imagine it on any other person,” Myrcella said stoutly, as stubborn as her father in a temper. “I think it shall be perfectly lovely on you - it will bring out your eyes, and the chain is so long that you shall never need it extended.”

“Will you put it on me, so that we might see if it suits?” Shireen asked, pressing the necklace into Myrcella’s hands and turning around. “Will you, please?”

Myrcella set the necklace in place, catching the clasp and then laying Shireen’s soft hair gently down her back. When Shireen turned back to face her, Myrcella could not help but smile.

“See!” she said, forgetting to be quiet. “It is beautiful, and it matches mine!”

“We are halfway to Shiera Seastar now,” Shireen agreed, holding her sapphire up alongside Myrcella’s emerald pendant. “But only halfways, since we are neither one of us a bastard.”

They giggled over the rude word, and only stopped when Lady Selyse came to wake Shireen - but they giggled over it again later, when they caught one another looking at their necklaces.


End file.
